Robe holder



Dec. 9, 1924.

.W. G. LACHENMAIER" ROBE HOLDER Filed Dec. 18, 1925 IN VEN TOR. Walter G- Laclienm axle)" Q m m A TTORNEY Patented Dec. 9, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBE HOLDER.

Application filed December 18, 1923. Serial No. 681,320.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, l VALrnn G. LACHEN- MAIER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lodi, county of San Joaquin, State of California, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Robe Holders; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this application.

This invention relates to improvements in robe and coat holders for use on automobiles, my main object being to provide a device of this character by means of which a coat, robe, or similar article may be firmly clamped in place, and is prevented both from being accidentally displaced with vibration or similar influences, and from being stolen in the event that the article is left hanging in the car while the owner is absent therefrom.

Such a device should I believe, fill a long felt want, especially in open cars, which have no means of locking up any coats and robes left therein, and which as a result are frequently stolen.

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensive device and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a persual of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved robe holder, showing the same as mounted on the back of the front seat of an automobile, as is customary.

Figure 2 is an enlarged side view, partly in section, of one of the brackets. showing a locking mechanism.

Figure 3 is a section of the co-operating clamping and holding bars.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the robe holder comprises a pair of vertical bracket members 1, adapted to be secured, by any suitable means and in transversely spaced relation, on the back 2 of the front seat of an automobile.

The brackets, adjacent their upper ends,

have ears 3, forming means for pivoting substantially horizontal arms 4 extending outwardly of the brackets and to the outer ends of which, and extending therebetween, is rigidly connected a rigid horizontal bar 5.

De-pendingdo-wnwardly from and rigidly secured to each arm a is a. ratchet bar 6,

curved on a radius the center of which is the pivotal connection of the arm with the bracket ears. This bar enters and is normally concealed in a similarly curved socket 7 formed in an arm 8, itself formed as part of the adjacent bracket. A rigid horizontal bar 9 extends between the arms 8 in vertical alinement with the bar 5 when the latter is in its lowermost position. The bar 5 may be termed the movable clamping jaw of the device and the bar 9 the fixed clamping jaw.

Provided with each arm 8 is a hollow boss 10 forming a pocket which communicates with the socket 7 and which is closed on all sides. In the pocket is mounted a pawl 11 having a spring 12 forcing it to engage with one of the teeth of the ratchet bar, said teeth 'and pawl being arranged to prevent upward movement of the arms 4 while permitting downward travel thereof. To release the pawls from the ratchet teeth at will, I provide a turnable rod 13 extending between and into the bracket pockets and having in each pocket a cam 13 adapted to retract the pawl when the rod is turned. The turning of the rod, which is enclosed from end to end, is controlled by means of a lock mechanism 15 of suitable character mounted on one of the brackets, and which is itself operated by means of a key of usual form. The adjacent faces of the bars 5 and 9 are preferably provided with longitudinal and co-operating ribs and grooves 16 and 17 respectively, so as to obtain a good grip on an article held therebetween without undue pressure having to be exerted on the bars to obtain a good holding action.

The operation of the device is thought to be self-evident, since it is only necessary to retract the pawls by manipulation of the key, raise the upper bar 5, hang the article to be secured on the lower bar 9, and bring the upper bar snugly down against the article. The pawls, upon withdrawing the pressure on the key, will automatically e11- gage the ratchet teeth of the bars 6, positively preventing undesired spreading of the bars 5 and 9, and consequently preventing removal of the robe, etc, held therebetween.

If necessary suitable means may be provided for enabling the upper bar to be easily raised when resting on the'lower bar, such as for instance by recessing the lower bar 9 on opposite sides at any desired location, as shown at 9 in Fig. 3, thus permitting the fingers to be passed somewhat under the upper bar for the extent of the recesses. i

This does not prevent the use of the upper bar as a means on which to temporarily hang a robe, etc., when it is not desired to insert and lock the s'ame between the two bars.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I have produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such. detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A robe holder comprising spaced brackets, a rigid bar extending therebetween, arms pivoted on the bracket, a rigid b: l

ing into sockets provided in the brackets,

and pawls mounted in the brackets and normally engaging the ratchetbars.

2. A robe holder comprising spaced brackets, a rigid bar extending therebetween, arms pivoted on the bracket, a rigid b'ar extending between said arms and adapted to co-operate with the first named bar, ratchet-bars fixed on the arms and extending into sockets provided in the braclc ets, pawl-s mounted in the brackets and normally engaging the ratchet-bars, and means for moving said pawls out of en gageinent with said bars at wilL 3. A robe holder comprising spaced brackets, a rigid bar extending therebetween, arms pivoted on the bracket, a rigid bar extending between said arms and adapted to co-operate with the first named bar, ratchetbars fixed on the arms'and extending into sockets provided in the brackets, pawls mounted in the brackets and normally engaging the ratchet-bars, a turnable rod eX- tending between the brackets, and cams on the rod for engaging the pawls in a manner to move. them clear of the ratchet bars WALTER G. LAGHENMAIER. 

